Millions of articles on online learning can be found if you start scratching the web, but less is discussed on the key skills that is required to complete online courses. Educators have the notion that self-motivation is the core engine that drives the learners to their success.

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Technology undoubtedly has its effects on almost every aspect of life including economy, education and overall growth of a nation. And with the intuitive touch of technology education has become more available ever than before. If you are having family responsibilities or a working student finding hard to manage time to go back to traditional schools to learn – online learning might be your smartest answer.

Why Online Learning Is Creating a Buzz.

Let’s get back to a decade ago when students are taught in a brick-and-mortar school with teachers standing in front of students and students sitting in front of a huge blackboard. The only thing students are allowed to do is listening to the lectures and taking notes. Online learning, on the other hand, is delivered through internet over the smart-phone.

To put it simply, online learning is easing up the process of learning to those who wish to learn further to upgrade their academic career or add a zing in their professional career. But the most frequent question I am asked, whenever I take part in the discussion regarding the advancement of eLearning, is “what is the key skill to continue study online?”

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It’s definitely self-motivation. Unlike traditional learning eLearning doesn’t bound the students with the specific time span. Online learning is a self-directed mode of learning where students are empowered with decision-making right, the right to chose what to read and when to read. A student has to have enough motivation in him to complete his lessons. And this motivation eventually results in making the students more responsible. This is the reason online degrees are gaining its value to the employers al over the world. When asked about the outcome of online learning, Rick Levin, former President of Yale University, says,

“Online courses are rapidly growing in reputation, and are being acknowledged as important and legitimate qualifications to help boost career progression. They provide accessible education across geographic boundaries and time zones, without compromising on teaching quality and credential recognition.”

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In online learning, instructors are not going to push around the learners to learn. So there are chances that students would fail to complete their online courses. To avoid this, one has to keep in mind some strategies like – keeping the end goal in mind, setting a schedule to login on a regular basis, creating a calendar for assignment due dates and joining discussion boards. It is important to keep in mind that online learning may give a fair amount of space and flexibility to the students but to leverage the opportunity one needs to acclimatise himself in this mode of learning.

Why the demand for MBA studies is growing consistently? Why does companies globally are hiring MBA qualifiers? According to the industry prediction demand for the MBA in business qualified individuals will continue to grow. Introduced first in Harvard University now is the widely preferred learning course across the countries. It’s because of the fact that business and management courses deals with the varied functions and pursuits in the business organisations across the industries and sectors. And since it helps to create more better prospect for career the demand for business and management learning is increasing. Online business and management programmes helps professionals and entrepreneurs to develop essential skill, crucial for planning and formulating strategies for the success of the organisation.

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Online MBA : Why?

Online business and management degree courses are growing. There are certain factors that has made online learning a considerable tool to acquire MBA degree. Let us check what are the advantage of online learning as gateway to MBA education:

Learning format at online is flexible. The student only need device and internet connectivity to participate in learning. Here, students need to accommodate themselves to hostel/residential or commute travel to campus to attend lectures.

The duration of the online MBA courses can be short as well as long, it depends on the learning pace and need of students.

Online MBA programme allows greater access to learning content to the students. The students can engage to learning 24×7 day or night.

Access to top Online Business School is easy as the students are not required to travel to foreign lands to attend the learning programme or to take tests/exams.

The online MBA in business and management degree programmes provide opportunity to participate in virtual fair to interact with management of different companies. Also the online students forum and discussion boards allows students of varied nationalities to connect with each other.

Professionals seeking to upgrade their skill can take MBA in business course via online without leaving their current job.

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Distance MBA enrolment increasing

Online business and management courses has broken the geographical barrier. Now professionals and students across the nations can select institutes from global map. Since most of the colleges and universities are rendering distance MBA programme to facilitate crucial business learning for the learners. This mode of learning helps the working individuals to carry on with their employment and manage other obligations like family or personal life. The another essential factor that makes online distance MBA convenient is the cost effectiveness. Compare to the traditional, online learning MBA course are incredibly low.

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Own business & MBA

You would be opened to maximum risk if you don’t have the know-how of commerce abreast other essential elements and practices of business. In the contemporary time it’s recommended to measure what and how can you excel instead of surrendering to the crisis. The MBA learning guides the learner on how to deal with different attributes of business. Qualities like problem solving, critical thinking, man and leadership management helps are built through comprehensive and core learning of the business. So why take the risk when you have the learning tool to guide you to thrive your business?

What is your take on online MBA courses? Post your comment and share your thought.

Entrepreneurship is becoming more popular among the youths of Africa as a career which can allow them to boost both their personal and professional lives. As there is a prominent lack of employment opportunities, teamed with political disturbances and socio-economic challenges across the continent, deciding to become an entrepreneur can actually prove beneficial for you. However, becoming an African entrepreneur would mean that you develop all the necessary business skills and knowledge. Moreover, you need to be prepared to drive your business through the constantly evolving market and the socio-political challenges in Africa. Let us take a look at what you can do to become a successful business leader….

Being An Entrepreneur In Africa

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Africa is presently going through different problems like illiteracy, poverty, unemployment, terrorism and political turmoil. However, the scenario can be changed when the African youth take up entrepreneurship to enhance the capacity of the nation and create more jobs. Effective entrepreneurs can drive industrial as well as national development. But there are too many obstacles which discourage most aspiring entrepreneurs to get started.

Ashish Thakkar, who survived the Rwandan genocide, launched his own computer business after completing high school in Uganda. Now his business, the Mara Group, has expanded a lot and has become one of the most reputed conglomerates in Africa. Thakkar now leads a group of businesses with over 7,000 employees and functions in more than 19 African nations across different industries, such as agriculture, manufacturing, information technology, real estate etc.

Need For Promoting Entrepreneurship

“We focus primarily on young entrepreneurs. I know from experience that when you are young, the concept of networking is very alien and you don’t know how to go about raising capital. Learning the hard way, on the job, helped me understand why unemployment is such a big issue in Africa and globally. According to our government, the answer to unemployment is foreign direct investment. But I don’t believe that’s the only option, we should also look to nurturing Africa’s small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs).”

He further added,

“On average, SMEs provide 65% of private-sector employment in Africa… I frequently meet with entrepreneurs all over Africa, and my first question is always, “Look, what can I do for you?” They never tell me that money is their primary need, what they are really looking for is guidance. Many young African entrepreneurs are the children of civil servants or farmers. They don’t come from business backgrounds, so where can they turn for advice?”

How You Can Be An Entrepreneur

This is where the need for business education comes in, if you ask me. Nowadays, it has become imperative that you pursue an MBA to gain the necessary entrepreneurship skills, especially if you don’t have much knowledge about the business world. But as studying at a traditional business school can be highly expensive these days and result in a heavy student debt, it is better to pursue a fast track MBA online programme. Studying a fast track MBA will help you learn about the various facets of business and boost your leadership and managerial skills in the most affordable way. This will surely make you more prepared to launch your startup and become a successful manager and business leader.

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As online courses are flexible, you will be able to gain relevant work experience while studying and get a deeper understanding about the industry and market. Moreover, you can advance your fast track degree to the final year of an accredited MBA degree programme from an associated university. A fast track MBA degree online will make sure that you acquire the right skills which will enable you to not only start your business but also to manage your company effectively.

How do you plan to become an entrepreneur? Feel free share your views and add to the discussion by commenting below.

Do you wish to build a thriving career? With the rising rate of unemployment in Nigeria, it will be surely challenging for you to achieve your professional goals even if you earn a degree. In this scenario, more and more Nigerian youths are opting to become entrepreneurs and starting their own business. Take a look….

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Unemployment Is Affecting Nigerian Youths

With growing volume of youthful population in Africa, several challenges have emerged, both social and economic. However, the number of jobs must increase to compensate the growing population. When adequate jobs will not be created, most of the youths will end up unemployed. According to data from the International Labor Organization, 3 out of 5 unemployed individual in Africa are youths.

A 2008 World Bank Report, entitled ‘Youth Employment in Africa: the potential, the problem and the promise’, reveals that youth employment is particularly prominent in urban regions. Due to poor conditions in rural regions, most people migrate towards the cities which lead to increasing challenges related to unemployment in the urban areas. As a result of this, numerous candidates are applying to limited vacancies and jobs which is creating further problems. Hence, now more youths are deciding to be entrepreneurs and taking necessary steps to not only to build their own careers, but also to create jobs and add substantially to the economy.

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Nigeria Needs More Entrepreneurs

Several entrepreneurs believe that encouraging entrepreneurial thinking among Nigerian youths will be crucial for the economic development of the nation. Moreover, the government is also taking steps to support youth development initiatives and aspiring entrepreneurs. Fashogbon Abiodun David, the CEO of the marketing company Fizzie Republic and the fashion boutique Fashi Fizzie, in Ibadan, southwestern Nigeria, says “The strength of a nation is the power of individual characters. America is what it is because of world-class entrepreneurs that are there: Bill Gate[s] of Microsoft, Steve Jobs of Apple and Larry Ellison of Oracle, Diddy of Sean John.”

David started his entrepreneurial venture in 2001 with just $20 USD and has faced several challenges in order to move his business forward. He says “I started with 2,650 naira [NGN ($16.65 USD)]. I ventured into business to conquer poverty.” He adds that achieving success was a daunting task due to the pressure and intimidation from larger businesses who almost compelled him to close down. He adds “The sharks are the big existing businesses that frowns at competition. I was beaten up by a fellow businessman because he was afraid I will take up the business. The trauma was so much I wanted to close my doors.”

But he says he pressed forward and didn’t even report his assailants because he was more concerned about the future and moving forward. David has successfully established himself as successful Nigerian entrepreneur since 2001 and has effectively expanded his business. Just like several other young entrepreneurs in the country, he is convinced that entrepreneurship is the right solution for dealing with poverty and unemployment in Nigeria.

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How To Be A Successful Entrepreneur

So if you tackle unemployment and build a lucrative career for yourself, then embracing entrepreneurship will empower you to accomplish your goals. However, it is imperative that you acquire the necessary skills and knowledge before you make an investment and start your business.
As a successful entrepreneur, you will need to be an expert in your field and have a clear understanding about the industry and the latest market trends. Moreover, you should also know how to effectively manage your business and lead your team.

Pursuing a business programme can help you to gain all the necessary knowledge and develop various skills like leadership skills, management skills, communication skills etc. However, if you want to be an entrepreneur, then a full time MBA programme will not be the most suitable option for you due to the need for heavy investment of time and money. Then what should you do?

Study Fast Track MBA Online

Pursuing an online fast track MBA will allow you to learn what you need and acquire the required skills without the need for investing huge amounts of time and money. You will learn about the core management concepts and understand how to apply them effectively in your business. You will also develop business and entrepreneurial skills that will allow you to steer your startup towards success.

One of the biggest advantages of studying an online MBA is that you will be able to work and study at the same time. As these courses offer excellent flexibility, you can easily choose to gather relevant work experience or work on your start up while studying and earning an recognised qualification. Moreover, with an online fast track MBA programme, you will have the opportunity to advance your qualification to the final year of an accredited MBA programme and earn a master’s degree in business management.

Pursuing a quality fast track MBA programme will enable you to become a successful entrepreneur in Nigeria and boost your business to create more jobs in the country and add to the national economy.

How do you plan on becoming an entrepreneur? Feel free to share your ideas and views with us by commenting below.

Why corporate learning is fast coming up as the most acceptable fashion of education is quite evident in its all-encompassing model. The essence of this learning model involves responsible participation from every individual, which in turn contributes to a cumulative group work. But, the better part is that every individual learner also play vital role to see that the other learners of his/her group are learning equally well. This co-operative effort of education was first developed in 90s, with the spirit that combined effort should be such that either all members of a group should succeed or fail. There is no middle way.

There are mainly three categories of corporate learning methods: formal, informal and cooperative, each of which is based on different styles of learning. Whatever it is, corporate learning follows five fundamental concepts, each distinguished by five key elements: face-to-face interaction, positive interdependence, group processing, accountability and interpersonal skills. The perfect design of corporate learning must include all these five factors, and incorporate various assignments to generate cumulative effort to share information for the sake of an entire group’s success.

Let’s see how these five major elements of cooperative learning play their roles:-

Face-to-face Interaction: In this process, the chief emphasis lays on oral discussion that instructors design to bring out for exchanging of ideas and group dynamics to make collaborative efforts in learning. This sort of process can successfully take place via classroom message box like Blackboard or pre-scheduled online chats. The ultimate aim of this sort of method is to build inter-dependence on one another for success.

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Positive Interdependence: This element shows that the each distinct role assigned to individual member is initiated through mutual interdependence of the group members. The project idea is shared and participated by all the group members to the satisfactory outcome.

Group Processing: In this phase, participants focus on the individual as well as collective outcome in respect of executed and unfinished work. Analysis of helpful and unhelpful measures is identified here through the comprehensive capacity of the participants. And, based on the feedback of them positive momentum for future project is planned.

Accountability: Accountability both in respect of individual and group-work is judged in cooperative learning. Educators design the processes in such way which may be on expected or random times to see the eagerness of participation from the group members. There is Formative assessment to measure the ongoing progress and participations from each and every member; and, Summative assessment that calculates particularly individual participation, instead of the whole group, after completion of the project.

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Interpersonal Skills: Interpersonal skills are kind of social skills that students are often need to be taught. Social nuances like leadership, confidence, good communication, trust, management skills are aspects that get focused through the projects. In course of group work, students are expected to identify their weaknesses and overcome them thoroughly.

Corporate learning is, thus, making a whole new concept of education where learning becomes a spontaneous development, instead of monotonous process. Especially, in business management studies this model of learning has proved to be fetching unbelievably positive outcome.

If some of the noted educationists are to be believed, going to top ranked colleges and universities alone is not enough to fetch you a coveted job profile. It is a wake-up call for all the students, teachers and parents too. It is of little relevance at the workplace whether you have top grades or have attended the elite colleges, if you possess the required skills, you will be considered as a suitable candidate for the job.

Is creativity more precious than formal education?

It may seem surprising to you but the global leaders in corporate sector today belong to same school of thought: “learning-by-making rules;” “Imagination is more important than knowledge;” and “learning to learn is more important than memorizing information.”

Do not get this thought or the current hiring practices at the biggest companies wrong. Grades are important, as they reflect your expertise in the skills required by the organizations and companies today. Obtaining high grades indicates your natural talent or ability to learn certain skills that may not be acquired naturally.

However, one has to become the master of the basic skills in order to keep up at today’s workplace. It does not matter whether you have acquired them in K12, college, or learned while on the job, you must hone your basic skills to rub your shoulders with the best in business.

Job seekers must have new knowledge and skills

Educationists and business leaders believe that job seekers must have new knowledge and skills, such as inventive thinking, fluent digital participation, coding and making digital stuff, digital communication, digital literacy, in order to get into almost in all fields like business, government, entertainment, health and education.

Most leading companies consider the old basic skills as insufficient, so candidates must focus on learning the new basic skills. It means they should have the ability to ask big questions, see connections, think originally and follow leads, draw parallels, and think creatively, objectively and collaboratively. One should know that innovation and learning skills are the key to success for big organisations.

The articulation of soft skills of innovation, teamwork, leadership, humility, and ownership is quite strong in the leading companies. They may be considered as soft skills but constitute an essential combination to the innovation. Seldom you see individual breakthroughs leading to innovation, but revolve around the collaborative group work that demands personal adaptability.

Anyone with an experience of working in R&D and tech organisation in academia and industry knows that working in teams is tough, as they are unsure of the role they might be given the next day. According to some business leaders, to know when and how to present yourself, when and how to hold back, and when and how to implement influence and teach or direct are the skills that differentiate emergent leadership from the traditional leadership.

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It is known fact that successful innovation can only be achieved through learning, imagination, and by exact data, for which one absolutely requires humility. Hence, it is essential to create the learning environment, where people can inspire their brain though imaginative thinking, brainstorming, researching and innovative ideas.

Postgraduate degrees have become quite essential for bagging lucrative job offers in the present times. Employers all over the world look to hire the candidates holding master’s degrees. An undergraduate or college degree no more guarantees a well paying job. In order to get a good salaried job, one must walk the extra mile and earn a master’s degree. Masters in Business Administration (MBA) is the degree programme that career enthusiasts from across the world contemplate to enrol in.

Full Time MBA At On-Campus Institutions Is Not Easy For Everybody

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However, everybody is not fortunate enough to get enrolled in a full time MBA programme at traditional brick and mortar business schools. As a large number of prospective students work in order to financially support their families, seeking admission in full time MBA programmes can be a bit tough to them. Moreover, a large proportion of such students dwell in the countries where education infrastructure is in poor state, like Nigeria. Students in such countries do not have plenty of options to choose from thus good jobs elude them for a long time.

Online Mbas Have Made Earning Higher Qualifications Easier

Students and working professionals in these countries are now able to study different postgraduate programmes, including MBAs, online. With the advent of technology, accessing the MBA programme has become relatively easier than ever before. Online learning medium has made it easy for working professionals to obtain higher qualifications like MBAs, without quitting their jobs. There are several colleges and universities offering online MBA by distance learning in Nigeria and allowing students to learn while they earn.

Online MBA Courses Must Be Accredited Through Recognised Accreditation Agencies

However, one must be careful while choosing an online MBA course because several diploma mills are out there to cheat you with unrecognised degrees. Students must do proper research about the accreditation of colleges and degree programmes being offered to the students. One must keep in mind that the MBA degree has no worth and only an ordinary piece of paper, if not accredited.

Doing A Background Check Of MBA Course Is Necessary

Hence, doing a reality check is advised before picking up your university and MBA course. Look out for the career prospects of passed out students and where they are currently placed at. You should also check out how many students have enlisted in the MBA programme prior to you and go through the university’s archive to know how the students faired at the university and job market.

You should settle on the perfect distance learning MBA programme format only after going through the entire details. Find out whether the format fits well to your lifestyle and work timings. As employers only recognise the accredited degrees, you must know if your university or college is duly certified with the recognised accreditation agency.

Therefore, choose a MBA programme with a specialisation to fulfil your career dreams and make it big in the professional sector.